Toffee Crunch Cupcake
Grab your toffee crunch in a cupcake crumb with a little caramel frosting dipped in some chocolate and rimmed with chocolate covered toffee bits. Its decadence meets gluttony.
Ingredients
Cupcake
- 1 cup (4.5 ounces) all purpose flour
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (7.3 ounces) sugar
- 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) SCHARFFEN BERGER Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and warm
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon instant coffee granules (recommended: Starbucks Via)
- 1/2 cup hot coffee
- 1/2 cup chocolate covered toffee bits
Caramel Frosting
- 5 large egg whites
- 11/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 sticks unsalted butter, diced and softened
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1/3 cup caramel sauce
Chocolate Dipping Sauce
- 2/3 cups dark chocolate
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted
- 5-8 tablespoons water, warm
Instructions
Preparation
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cupcake
In a large bowl, combine and mix together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda and salt. Add in butter, eggs, and vanilla and beat for one minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the instant coffee granules and hot coffee, beat until batter is smooth, about 20-30 seconds. The batter will be thin enough to pour. Divide it evenly among the lined cups. Bake 18-22 minutes just until a toothpick inserted into a few of the cupcakes comes out clean. Set the pan on a rack to cool. Frost the cupcakes when they are completely cool. Store and serve at room temperature.
Tip: For light tender cupcakes, spoon flour and cocoa lightly into measuring cups (instead of dipping the cups into the flour or cocoa) and then sweep the measures level without tapping or shaking them.
Caramel Frosting
Combine egg whites and sugar in a bowl placed over simmering water. Bring mixture to 150 degrees F while whisking constantly.
Transfer mixture to stand mixer bowl, fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on medium speed until mixture cools and doubles in volume.
Add butter in one piece at a time, mixing to incorporate after each addition. The mixture may appear clumpy and almost curdled looking-this is normal. Keep mixing and it will become even and smooth again. Add salt and vanilla and mix to combine. Add caramel sauce and mix to combine.
Chocolate Dipping Sauce
Place chocolate and heavy cream in a bowl over simmering water. Let chocolate and cream sit for 2-3 minutes to melt without stirring. Then slowly stir mixture to combine. Add powdered sugar and mix to combine. Add water one tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition until pouring consistency is reached. Set aside and let sauce cool to warm.
To Assemble Cupcake
To frost the cupcakes: Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip and start piping from the outside working in to the center to create one even layer. Freeze cupcakes for 20 minutes before dipping in warm chocolate sauce, so that the frosting does not melt. Remove cupcakes and dip in warm chocolate sauce, and then rim with chocolate covered toffee bits. Return cupcakes to freezer for five minutes for chocolate to set. Remove from freezer and finish piping frosting on top.
Notes
A Few Notes:
The cupcake can be made a day in advance. For the frosting, use homemade caramel for a deeper flavor. For a quick and simple tutorial to making homemade caramel sauce click here. The frosting can be made seven days in advance and then brought to room temperature for piping consistency. The cupcake can be fully assembled the night before and refrigerated.
